Bilateral and Multilateral Development Agencies

Bilateral development agencies facilitate the provision of grants and loans from one national government to other governments or NGOs in order to help implement development projects. Multilateral development agencies also provide resources and carry out development projects with governments and NGOs and include numerous UN agencies (such as UNDP, UNFPA, UNIFEM), development banks (such as the World Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Bank), and other inter-governmental bodies.1

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Canada International Development Agency (CIDA)

The Indigenous Peoples Partnership Program (IPPP), funded through the Americas Branch of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has been established to provide a dedicated instrument for Indigenous organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to form partnerships with Canadian Aboriginal organizations. Partnerships are a means of contributing to improved well being of Indigenous peoples (IPs) in the LAC region through projects that enhance the capacity of local organizations and communities to become self-sufficient. The principal thematic areas of the IPPP are Sustainable Development; Gender Equality; International Policy Dialogue; and Youth.

European Commission

Government of Australia: Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC)

Activities funded under the Australian government's Indigenous Women's Program 2007-08 aim to reduce Indigenous disadvantage through the enhancement of Indigenous women's leadership, representation, safety, wellbeing and economic status. They may include activities that increase Indigenous women's awareness of, access to, and role in local priority setting and government funding activities; strengthen Indigenous women's networks and organizations; and support Indigenous women's cultural traditions.

Government of Spain: Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean

The Fund for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean—also known as the Indigenous Fund—is the only multilateral body in Spain that is involved in international cooperation specialized in the promotion of the self-development and recognition of the rights of the Indigenous Peoples.

Inter-American Development Bank

The Inter-American Development Bank was established in 1959 as a multilateral finance institution for the development of the region. The IDB Group uses loans, grants, guarantees and investments to fund development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its loans and grants help finance sustainable economic and social development projects and support strategies to reduce poverty, expand growth, increase trade, investment and regional integration, and promote private sector development and modernization of the state. Apply for a grant.

International Fund for Agricultural Development

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977. Working with rural poor people, governments, donors, non-governmental organizations and many other partners, IFAD focuses on country-specific solutions, which can involve increasing rural poor peoples' access to financial services, markets, technology, land and other natural resources. With its "Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility" program, IFAD supports the aspirations of indigenous and tribal peoples and helps to fulfill the development needs of their communities. Apply for a grant.

Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples (NCIV)

Founded in 1969, the Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples (NCIV) is a non-governmental organization located in Amsterdam that supports the promotion and defense of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, in particular the rights of Indigenous women. One of NCIV's principal activities is Grants for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (GRIP), which benefits the initiatives of indigenous organizations or the initiatives of NGOs that work with Indigenous Peoples, who do not have their own organization yet. Apply for a grant.

United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF)

The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) was established in July 2005 as a United Nations General Trust Fund. Its primary purpose is to support democratization throughout the world. UNDEF will finance projects that build and strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights, and ensure the participation of all groups in democratic processes. The Fund provides assistance to governmental, non-governmental, national, regional, and international organizations, including relevant United Nations departments, offices, funds, programmes and agencies. Apply for a grant.

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Through the Gender Thematic Trust Fund (GTTF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is focusing on gender mainstreaming in order to meet the challenges of reaching gender equality and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The GTTF is intended to enable institutional and cultural transformation processes, including the elimination of gender biases in development frameworks and paradigms; the incorporation of gender awareness into policies, programmes and institutional reforms; the involvement of men to end gender inequality; and the development of gender-sensitive tools to monitor progress and ensure accountability.

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

The UN Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women was established by General Assembly resolution 50/166 in 1996 and is managed by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The Trust Fund is the only multilateral grant-making mechanism that supports local, national and regional efforts to combat violence. The UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women is accepting applications for its 12th grant cycle (2007) related to one of the following areas of work: 1) Implementation of existing laws, policies and plans of action to address violence against women or 2) Reducing the twin pandemics of HIV/AIDS and violence against women.

World Bank

The Grants Facility of the Global Fund for Indigenous Peoples supports sustainable and culturally appropriate development projects planned and implemented by and for Indigenous peoples. Projects must directly benefit indigenous peoples in a culturally appropriate, sustainable, and gender inclusive manner and address issues central to indigenous peoples' aspirations. Examples of the type of projects supported by the Grants Facility are innovative pilot projects that build on indigenous culture, identity, knowledge, natural resources, intellectual property and human rights, and/or institutions.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

In October 2005, the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) set up a Voluntary Contribution Fund to facilitate and encourage the participation of indigenous and local communities in WIPO's work concerning intellectual property relating to genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.


End Notes

1. An Action-Research Project of The Association for Women's Rights in Development, "Where is the money for women's rights? Assessing the resources and the role of donors in the promotion of women's rights and the support of women's rights organizations," February 2006.